Vitamin D Equates to Stronger Bones
When you were younger, you were unaware of all the things you could do to help you grow and to protect your health. With experience, however, comes knowledge. As we grow older, we are constantly looking for new ways to remain healthy, safeguarding ourselves from injuries and sicknesses.
To fortify the health of your bones and joints, Vitamin D is indispensable. Vitamin D is naturally produced in your body, but needs a boost through other avenues to ensure that you are getting enough, especially as you get older and Vitamin D is no longer produced as efficiently.
While children require Vitamin D to build strong bones, adults need it to maintain them. Those with lower levels of Vitamin D have lower bone mass and are more susceptible to breaks and fractures as they get older.
Where is Vitamin D?
You can obtain your needed Vitamin D requirements through sunlight, food, and supplements.
- Sunlight. From the ultra-violet light in sunlight, your skin creates Vitamin D. However, the amount of Vitamin D your body receives and stores depends on the time of day, your location, and skin pigmentation. For example, you are more likely to absorb Vitamin D during a summer afternoon in Southern California than on a spring day in Vermont. Also, those with fair skin naturally produce more Vitamin D than those with darker pigmentation. However, too much exposure to sunlight is a risk factor for other conditions. Therefore, to avoid skin cancer, many people will look for other ways to consume Vitamin D.
- Food. Although food seems like a convenient way to meet your Vitamin D requirements, it is actually only present in a limited variety of foods. Milk, orange juice, soy milk, some cereals, and fatty fish, such as mackerel, salmon and tuna, all have Vitamin D. Look on the nutritional facts label of your food to check the percentage of the recommended daily value of Vitamin D that is contained in the food you buy.
- Supplements. In order to ensure you are getting enough Vitamin D, supplements can be very effective. You can take your supplements with or without food. You should check how much Vitamin D you are already getting from your food in order to determine the right amount to take through supplements. Your doctor can advise you on this, recommending what levels and what supplements to buy.
How Much Do You Need?
The amount of Vitamin D you need depends on your age. Below are recommendations from the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
- Those under 50 need 400 to 800 International Units (IU) per day.
- Those over 50 need 800 to 1,000 IU per day.
- For most adults, the safe upper limit is 4,000 per day.
Vitamin D will defend you from cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis. With a few minutes in the sun and a conscious effort to consume Vitamin D in your diet, your bones and joints will be healthier and stronger.